Prepared by: Citizens’ Research Education Network,
Hartford Public Library, and Hartford 2000
There were 56 items on the regular agenda: nine more were
added on the supplemental agenda. Councilman O'Connell was absent. The next Council meeting will be July 12; the next public hearing will
be July 17.
Automobile Insurance
Legal Action -- The Council passed a resolution directing the Corporation
Counsel to bring "legal action on behalf of the City of Hartford to
challenge and overturn current automobile insurance pricing systems.” The Council directed the Corporation Counsel to begin researching
automobile insurance rates at its February 8 meeting.
Civic Center Mall
-- The Council passed a resolution approving the memorandum of understanding
between the city and Northland Two Pillars, LLC to redevelop the Civic Center
Mall.
Living Wage Ordinance
-- The Council withdrew the living wage ordinance which had been to public
hearing and replaced it with new living wage ordinance. The new ordinance, which fine tunes some of
the language of the old, was referred to public
hearing July 19, to the Operations, Budget, Education, and Labor Committee
and to the Health and Human Services Committee. If passed the ordinance would require anyone contracting with the
city pay their employees a "living wage."
Demolition/Mothballing
Funds -- The Council sent to public
hearing on July 19 an ordinance appropriating $5,553,600 for demolition and
mothballing of vacant and blighted buildings. The funds represent a portion of the $12 million available to the city
by the State Bond Commission. The
Capital City Economic Development Authority (CCEDA) approved the city’s request
for the $5.5 million at its June 16 meeting. The remainder of the $12 million will be used for rehabilitation of
residential buildings throughout the neighborhoods.
Urban Act Funds for
Veeder Place -- The Council passed a resolution accepting $5,664,800 in
Urban Act Funds from the State Bond Commission for renovation of Veeder Place
and the Tri-Neighborhood Initiative. The funds will be used to complete the renovation of Veeder Place.
Urban Act Bond Funds
-- The Council sent to public
hearing July 19 an ordinance which will appropriate $4 million for
revitalization initiatives proposed by the Neighborhood Revitalization
Zones. The $4 million is the first
installment of $12.2 million in Urban Act II funds which will be made available
in three installments.
Goodwin Estate -- The Council passed on consent a resolution
creating a task force to study options for marketing the Goodwin estate
property and make recommendations for how the city can best dispose of the 17.
5 acre property. Fifteen hundred
dollars will be allocated to the task force.
Director of Housing
and Community Development -- The Council also passed a resolution
introduced by the City Manger to enter into a contract with the Connecticut
Conference of Municipalities to conduct a search for a Director of Housing and
Community Development. The position has
been open since September of 1998 but, according to the letter attached to the
resolution, there has been an insufficient number of applicants.
Affirmative Action
Plan -- The Council sent to public hearing July 19 and to the Health
and Human Services Committee, a
resolution establishing a new Affirmative Action Plan for the city. The plan sets hiring goals and enforcement
policies for city departments for "minority" males and females and
white females. The plan is intended to
remedy past discrimination employment patterns. The city's last plan was passed
February 1995.
People of Color --
The Council referred to the Health and Human Services Committee a resolution
which will change the language of city documents. The resolution would remove the term "minority" from
city documents and replace it with "People of Color." According to the resolution,
"minority" implies inferiority and majority implies superiority. The resolution also points out that the
governor now uses the term People of Color.
Summer School
Initiative -- The Council voted to appropriate $150,000 for a city-wide
summer school initiative. Under the
initiative not-for-profit groups will provide after-school programs for
Hartford youth. Most of the $3 million required
for the program are coming from the private sector.
Tax Increment
Financing -- The Council passed City Manager Kee Borges' recommendation of
policy and guidelines for tax increment financing (TIF). TIF is a mechanism by which governments
encourage development with tax incentives. The TIF policy will be implemented by the new Hartford Economic
Development Commission.
If you have any questions about the agenda, call the Council at 522‑4888 or Greg Vickers at CREN, 249‑1416. The Citizens' Research Education Network is a non‑profit information center for Hartford community‑based organizations. |